Founded by Heinz Lichtenegger, one of Austria's leading high-end audio distributors, in early 1991, Pro-Ject Audio Systems has grown to become the world leading designer and manufacturer of turntables, tonearms and phono accessories, setting trends in this still growing product segment. With more and more people fascinated by the physical world of vinyl, Pro-Ject Audio continues to expand its approach of offering both no-compromise entry-level products and high-end equipment, always using quality electronic components that redefine what is possible.
Knowing that in turntable design and manufacture, thoughtful selection of materials is critical, and that each material has its own resonant frequency that must blend well with the other materials involved, Pro-Ject approached the XA B development process as an integrated effort. Measurement and critical listening revealed that the acrylic plinth alone can potentially over-damp sonics, leading to an option for a livelier-sounding 10" one-piece aluminum tonearm, and die-cast aluminum platter. Than, the Pro-Ject engineering selected a Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge and custom isolation feet to ensure a lively, dynamic and detail-rich output.
"For over 30 years we've designed and built turntables that focus on sound quality over convenience-oriented features, but that hasn't stopped us from experimenting with materials that vary in their resonance properties. Acrylic has been in our repertoire for decades. Our first ever acrylic turntable was the Pro-Ject 6.9Perspective and it was a huge success," the company explains in the XA B presentation. "We take pride in how these turntables take advantage of both the aesthetic and sonic values of acrylic in hi-fi, but using acrylic in manufacturing is not as easy as you might think," they add.
The Pro-Ject XA B was designed with a 1.7kg (3.75lbs) die-cast aluminum platter, precision balanced with additional machining after casting. This facilitates perfect platter rotation while playing records. The heavy aluminum platter also adds a TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) damping ring & corresponding cutout on the underside, muting any resonance created by the metal record platter and contributing to the flywheel effect.
The XA B turntable stands on three damped and height-adjustable feet for excellent isolation. By using 3 feet Pro-Ject was able to increase stability on uneven surfaces for optimal leveling - a critical setup parameter in terms of maximizing the performance of a tonearm & cartridge.
A premium aluminum arm, made from a single-piece tube, heightens rigidity while the 10" length widens the tonearm's arc, reducing tracing error. The low-friction 4-pinpoint cardanic bearing assembly guarantees precise, stable and accurate tracking. Once again, Pro-Ject selected the aluminum arm over carbon fiber for its sonic merits when paired with the resonant frequency of the acrylic plinth. The tonearm also offers full control over adjustment parameters for fine-tuning of VTA and azimuth, encouraging various cartridges and/or record mats to achieve specific desired sonics.
Finally, the Pro-Ject Pick it PRO Balanced cartridge was added to allow for "True Balanced" signal transmission. A revised version of the Pick it PRO, re-routes the grounding so that it sends a symmetrical signal. The big advantage of a balanced connection is its ability to remove accrued noise and interference from the transmission line. That's the reason why the turntable is combined with a "True Balanced" cable (5-pin DIN to Mini-XLR or XLR), which can be connected to the company's Phono Box S3 B, Phono Box DS3 B or Tube Box DS3 B phono stages.
The new Pro-Ject XA B turntable will begin shipping in the US late Fall 2024, retailing for $1,499 USD.
www.pro-jectusa.com
www.project-audio.com
